Sources of Lighting

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Lighting fuel

Nationally, the most commonly used form of lighting fuel is tin lamps at 38.5 percent, followed by lanterns and electricity at 30.6 percent and 22.9 percent respectively (Table 6.21). However the national outlook masks significant differences in the use of other less dominant sources of lighting fuels in urban areas. Overall, tin lamps, lanterns and fuel wood are predominant in rural areas whereas electricity as a source of lighting is higher in urban areas. Some 52.4 percent of male headed households in urban areas use electricity for lighting compared with 48.8 percent for female headed households. The use of renewable sources of energy, notably solar for lighting is low at 1.6 percent of all households. However, in Tharaka Nithi, Nyandarua, Laikipia, Meru and Lamu Counties, at least five percent of households use solar energy as their main source of lighting.

Table 6.21: Main lighting fuel, national, rural and urban by gender of household head

County

Electricity

Pressure Lamp

Lantern

Tin Lamp

Gas Lamp

Fuel wood

Solar

Other

Households

Total

Kenya

22.9

0.6

30.6

38.5

0.9

4.3

1.6

0.6

8,493,380

Rural

5.2

0.4

34.7

49.0

1.0

6.7

2.2

0.7

5,239,879

Urban

51.4

0.8

23.9

21.6

0.6

0.4

0.7

0.6

3,253,501

Male headed households

Kenya

24.6

0.6

30.4

36.8

0.9

4.2

1.7

0.7

5,762,320

Rural

5.6

0.5

35.3

47.5

1.1

6.8

2.4

0.7

3,413,616

Urban

52.4

0.9

23.3

21.2

0.6

0.4

0.7

0.7

2,348,704

Female headed households

Kenya

19.2

0.5

31.0

42.1

0.8

4.5

1.4

0.5

2,731,060

Rural

4.5

0.4

33.7

51.8

0.8

6.5

1.8

0.5

1,826,263

Urban

48.8

0.8

25.4

22.6

0.7

0.6

0.6

0.5

904,797

 

Figure 6.4 shows the use of different sources of lighting across the county. Use of advanced fuels is highly concentrated within the centre, notably in Nairobi County. This can be attributed to a higher population density and existence of supporting infrastructure for transmission of electric power.

Figure 6.4: Household use of lighting fuel by type and county

Household use of lighting fuel by type and county


The top eight counties surpass the national average of households that use electricity for lighting, with Nairobi having the highest proportion at 72.3 percent followed by Mombasa (59.0 percent) and Kiambu (54.4 percent). A household in Nairobi is 30 times more likely to have electricity for lighting compared with those Mandera, Tana River and Turkana, the bottom three counties in electricity use. Bomet (63.4 percent), Makueni (63.3 percent), and Nyandarua (55.2 percent) counties reported the highest use of lanterns, with the lowest in Turkana County at 8.6 percent. The use of tin lamps is highest in Kwale at 73.0 percent and Homa Bay and Siaya Counties at 72.9 percent each. In Turkana County, at least 73 percent of households use fuel wood for lighting.

There are gender differences in the use of various sources of lighting within counties (Table 6.23). In Kajiado, Kisumu and Machakos Counties, the proportion of male headed households using electricity for lighting exceeds that of female headed households by 12.1, 7.1 and 6.2 percentage points respectively. Conversely, in Garissa County, the proportion of female headed households using electricity for lighting is higher than that of male headed households. The highest proportion of the population using electricity for lighting is in Nairobi at 75.3 percent in female headed households, while the lowest use is in female headed households in Turkana at 1.6 percent, female headed households in Tana River at 2.1 percent and male headed households in Mandera at 2.1 percent (Table 6.22).

Table 6.22: Main lighting fuel by county

Electricity

Lantern

Tin Lamp

Fuel wood

County

% Households

County

% Households

County

% Households

County

% Households

Bottom 10 counties

Nairobi

72.3

Bomet

63.6

Kwale

73.2

Turkana

76.1

Mombasa

59.0

Makueni

63.4

Siaya

73.0

Samburu

60.7

Kiambu

54.4

Nyandarua

55.5

Homa Bay

73.0

Marsabit

47.1

Kajiado

40.0

Machakos

54.3

Busia

71.4

West Pokot

46.8

Nakuru

33.9

Kitui

54.1

Tana River

66.8

Mandera

36.7

Uasin-Gishu

27.9

Kericho

51.1

Bungoma

66.6

Wajir

29.3

Nyeri

26.2

Elgey-Marakwet

47.2

Migori

66.4

Baringo

27.9

Isiolo

18.7

Taita-Taveta

45.9

Kakamega

63.9

Isiolo

23.3

Kisumu

18.3

Uasin-Gishu

44.2

Kilifi

63.0

Elgey-Marakwet

15.2

Laikipia

18.1

Nandi

42.2

Vihiga

62.2

Garissa

13.3

Median county

Trans-Nzoia

9.0

Wajir

31.0

Kericho

35.1

Makueni

0.6

Bottom 10 counties

Kitui

4.8

Siaya

20.6

Mombasa

22.8

Nyandarua

0.3

Bungoma

4.4

Tana River

19.9

Baringo

20.1

Nyamira

0.2

Siaya

4.3

Garissa

19.4

Isiolo

19.6

Murang’a

0.2

Bomet

3.8

Kajiado

18.9

Samburu

19.4

Kisumu

0.2

Wajir

3.4

Kilifi

16.7

Kiambu

17.6

Siaya

0.2

Homa Bay

3.3

Mombasa

16.0

Wajir

17.2

Machakos

0.2

West Pokot

3.0

Nairobi

13.1

Mandera

13.1

Nandi

0.2

Mandera

2.5

Kwale

13.0

Nairobi

12.6

Mombasa

0.2

Tana River

2.4

Samburu

10.6

Marsabit

12.1

Kiambu

0.2

Turkana

2.2

Turkana

8.1

Turkana

9.2

Nairobi

0.1

 

Table 6.23: Main lighting fuel by county and differences by gender of household head

Electricity

Lantern

Tin Lamp

Fuel wood

County

Male

Female

Diff

County

Male

Female

Diff

County

Male

Female

Diff

County

Male

Female

Diff

Top 10 counties

Kajiado

43.8

           31.7

12.1

Migori

27.4

           22.8

4.6

Lamu

39.9

           36.7

3.2

Mandera

38.3

           29.7

8.5

Kisumu

20.8

           13.8

7.1

Narok

30.5

           26.0

4.4

Nairobi

13.3

           10.2

3.1

Wajir

30.9

           22.6

8.2

Machakos

19.2

           13.1

6.2

Siaya

22.5

           18.3

4.2

Mombasa

23.3

           21.0

2.4

Garissa

14.5

             9.2

5.3

Kiambu

55.7

           51.1

4.6

Homa Bay

22.9

           19.0

4.0

Garissa

31.1

           28.9

2.2

Lamu

2.6

             1.4

1.2

Samburu

7.8

             3.7

4.1

Baringo

40.6

           36.9

3.7

West Pokot

25.6

           23.5

2.1

Tana River

6.4

             5.3

1.2

Isiolo

20.1

           16.3

3.8

Nyamira

41.5

           37.9

3.7

Baringo

20.8

           18.9

1.9

Marsabit

47.4

           46.7

0.7

Nakuru

35.1

           31.4

3.7

Kisii

32.9

           29.5

3.4

Taita-Taveta

35.2

           34.0

1.2

Taita-Taveta

0.7

             0.3

0.4

Laikipia

19.3

           16.0

3.3

Kilifi

17.8

           14.4

3.3

Makueni

25.7

           25.0

0.8

Nyeri

0.5

             0.4

0.1

Kwale

11.6

             8.4

3.2

Tharaka Nithi

32.7

           29.5

3.2

Kitui

31.6

           31.2

0.4

Kericho

0.3

             0.3

0.0

Kilifi

17.5

           14.4

3.1

Kirinyaga

34.4

           31.6

2.9

Turkana

9.3

             9.0

0.3

Nandi

0.2

             0.2

0.0

Median county

 

Makueni

6.2

             5.0

1.2

Vihiga

28.7

           27.9

0.8

Kirinyaga

44.0

           46.3

-2.3

Kisii

0.3

             0.3

0.0

Bottom 10 counties

Nandi

6.2

             6.4

-0.3

Marsabit

23.0

           24.9

-1.9

Narok

52.1

           57.5

-5.4

Isiolo

23.1

           23.5

-0.4

Elgey-Marakwet

6.8

             7.2

-0.4

Kiambu

25.2

           27.1

-1.9

Nyamira

49.6

           55.5

-5.9

Tharaka Nithi

2.6

             3.7

-1.0

Tharaka Nithi

8.0

             8.8

-0.8

Isiolo

30.1

           32.1

-2.0

Kwale

71.2

           77.4

-6.2

Kajiado

1.8

             3.0

-1.2

Meru

13.4

           14.3

-0.9

Nakuru

35.4

           37.7

-2.3

Homa Bay

70.2

           76.5

-6.3

Turkana

75.6

           77.0

-1.4

Kirinyaga

15.8

           17.8

-2.0

Kitui

52.9

           55.5

-2.7

Siaya

70.0

           76.6

-6.6

Elgey-Marakwet

14.6

           16.4

-1.8

Wajir

2.9

             5.3

-2.3

Makueni

62.2

           65.0

-2.7

Kilifi

60.7

           67.6

-6.9

Laikipia

4.5

             6.5

-1.9

Mandera

2.1

             4.5

-2.5

Wajir

30.4

           33.8

-3.4

Kisii

55.6

           62.6

-7.0

Narok

7.0

             9.0

-2.0

Mombasa

58.3

           61.8

-3.5

Taita-Taveta

44.0

           49.6

-5.6

Migori

63.4

           71.2

-7.8

Samburu

58.6

           63.1

-4.5

Nairobi

71.3

           75.3

-4.0

Machakos

52.2

           57.9

-5.7

Kisumu

52.6

           62.6

-10.0

West Pokot

45.1

           50.1

-5.1

Garissa

13.4

           22.0

-8.6

Lamu

31.7

           37.7

-6.0

Kajiado

31.6

           44.5

-12.8

Baringo

25.5

           32.4

-6.9

 

Differences in the use of various sources of lighting by constituency are highlighted in Table 6.24. Disaggregated county level data indicates huge disparities in the use of various lighting sources. The use of electricity for lighting is highest in Embakasi West constituency at 88.0 percent. In the bottom five constituencies, use of electricity is non-existent while only a few households have access in the bottom 10 constituencies. On the other hand, household use of fuel wood for lighting is almost universal in Loima constituency in Turkana County, and non-existent in Makadara, Kasarani, Mathare, Embakasi North and Embakasi West constituencies in Nairobi County.

There are minor differences in the proportion of household use of various sources of lighting across male and female headed households. However, there are significant variations when comparison is made within a constituency. For example, in Kajiado West and Kajiado Central, the proportion of male households using electricity for lighting is significantly higher than that of female headed households, while in Langata constituency the converse is observed (Table 6.25).

Table 6.24: Main lighting fuel by constituency

Electricity

Lantern

Tin Lamp

Fuel wood

Top 10 constituencies

Embakasi West

88.0

Bomet Central

71.1

Lunga Lunga

85.0

Loima

93.2

Embakasi Central

83.4

Lamu East

70.9

Kinango

84.7

Tiaty

89.8

Mvita

82.4

Bomet East

69.4

Ndhiwa

83.4

Turkana North

88.3

Embakasi North

80.9

Makueni

69.3

Bumula

80.8

Kacheliba

82.3

Roysambu

80.6

Kaiti

68.7

Ganze

80.2

Laisamis

81.5

Dagoreti South

79.3

Bureti

68.6

Rangwe

80.0

Samburu North

80.2

Starehe

78.8

Kilome

68.0

Ugenya

79.7

Turkana West

76.3

Nakuru Town East

77.1

Chepalungu

67.4

Uriri

78.6

Turkana East

75.7

Ruiru

75.4

Kathiani

65.5

Seme

78.4

Samburu East

73.8

Kabete

74.6

Kipipiri

63.3

Budalangi

78.1

Turkana South

71.6

Median constituency

Kigumo

7.7

Tarbaj

29.3

Marakwet West

37.3

Mbooni

0.4

Bottom 10 constituencies

Banissa

0.1

Mathare

8.0

Mandera West

6.1

Ruiru

0.1

North Horr

0.1

Embakasi West

7.3

Roysambu

5.6

Starehe

0.1

Laisamis

0.1

Turkana West

7.2

Tarbaj

5.6

Ruaraka

0.1

Kacheliba

0.1

Mvita

6.5

Embakasi Central

4.6

Langata

0.1

Tarbaj

0.1

Kacheliba

6.3

North Horr

4.5

Westlands

0.1

Mandera West

0.1

Samburu North

6.1

Turkana North

3.7

Makadara

0.0

Lagdera

0.1

Dadaab

5.2

Embakasi West

3.0

Kasarani

0.0

Eldas

0.0

Tiaty

5.1

Tiaty

3.0

Mathare

0.0

Loima

0.0

Turkana North

2.7

Laisamis

2.8

Embakasi North

0.0

Wajir North

0.0

Loima

1.8

Loima

1.8

Embakasi West

0.0


Table 6.25: Main lighting fuel by constituency and differences by gender of household head

Electricity

Lantern

Tin Lamp

Fuel wood

Constituency

Male

Female

Diff

Constituency

Male

Female

Diff

Constituency

Male

Female

Diff

Constituency

Male

Female

Diff

Top 10 constituencies

Kajiado West

26.5

          12.6

13.9

Narok South

39.9

          29.7

10.2

Dagoreti North

19.1

          11.5

7.6

Isiolo South

34.4

          16.0

18.4

Kajiado Central

27.4

          14.6

12.8

Narok West

34.0

          25.5

8.5

Langata

16.3

             9.4

6.8

Mandera North

42.0

          32.5

9.5

Samburu West

19.0

             9.1

9.9

Nyatike

31.4

          24.9

6.5

Kibra

27.8

          21.5

6.4

North Horr

71.7

          62.6

9.1

Isiolo North

29.0

          21.1

7.8

Kuria East

33.2

          26.7

6.5

Makadara

14.3

             9.0

5.2

Wajir North

45.3

          37.4

7.9

Limuru

51.4

          45.3

6.1

Samburu East

13.4

             7.7

5.7

Lagdera

20.1

          15.1

5.0

Lafey

32.9

          25.4

7.5

Awendo

12.8

             6.9

6.0

Laikipia North

27.4

          21.8

5.7

Embakasi South

21.3

          16.3

5.0

Wajir South

23.1

          15.8

7.2

Kajiado East

44.1

          38.2

5.9

Sigowet/Soin

42.7

          37.2

5.5

Lamu East

13.5

             8.6

4.9

Moyale

22.8

          15.7

7.0

Wundanyi

19.6

          13.8

5.8

West Mugirango

40.9

          35.5

5.4

Nakuru Town West

16.0

          11.5

4.5

Wajir East

14.2

             8.5

5.6

Saku

21.2

          15.4

5.8

Kuria West

34.3

          29.0

5.3

Mavoko

19.4

          14.9

4.5

Lagdera

25.1

          19.7

5.5

Kitui Central

16.9

          11.1

5.8

Kigumo

46.6

          41.4

5.1

Kacheliba

11.4

             7.1

4.2

Wajir West

23.9

          18.8

5.1

Median constituency

Kuresoi North

2.9

             2.2

0.7

Tigania West

16.2

          15.2

1.0

Tigania East

70.7

          72.6

-2.0

Cherangany

0.6

             0.7

0.0

Bottom 10 constituencies

Embakasi South

57.6

          63.4

-5.8

Wajir South

25.8

          30.7

-4.9

Kitutu Chache South

44.7

          52.9

-8.2

Laikipia North

18.5

          23.0

-4.4

Starehe

77.2

          83.2

-6.0

Lamu East

69.5

          74.7

-5.2

Kisumu East

48.9

          57.1

-8.2

Sigor

65.1

          69.6

-4.5

Nyali

59.4

          65.5

-6.0

Tarbaj

28.5

          33.7

-5.2

Kaloleni

67.8

          76.0

-8.2

Baringo North

23.2

          27.8

-4.5

Garissa Township

51.0

          57.0

-6.1

Lamu West

24.3

          29.6

-5.3

Kasipul

59.7

          68.0

-8.3

Baringo South

16.3

          20.9

-4.6

Kamukunji

70.1

          76.4

-6.3

Wundanyi

44.9

          50.5

-5.6

Homa Bay Town

59.6

          68.3

-8.6

Turkana West

74.5

          79.4

-4.8

Mvita

80.8

          87.1

-6.3

Voi

51.6

          57.5

-5.9

Kuria West

55.8

          64.5

-8.7

Samburu West

30.3

          35.6

-5.3

Kibra

58.3

          65.4

-7.1

Mandera West

51.4

          57.4

-6.0

Awendo

65.2

          74.8

-9.6

Narok South

14.2

          19.5

-5.3

Makadara

67.2

          74.7

-7.5

Moyale

38.4

          44.4

-6.1

Narok West

45.5

          58.2

-12.7

Kacheliba

79.5

          86.9

-7.5

Dagoreti North

65.4

          75.2

-9.8

Lagdera

32.0

          41.4

-9.4

Kajiado Central

50.3

          64.7

-14.4

Isiolo North

18.0

          25.8

-7.8

Langata

67.6

          79.7

-12.1

Isiolo South

42.2

          54.9

-12.7

Kajiado West

46.4

          61.9

-15.5

Samburu East

68.5

          78.8

-10.4

 

Access to clean fuels is a challenge for many households, particularly in the rural areas, reflecting high inequalities in use of clean energy. Other issues including cost of energy and environmental concerns are increasingly becoming important aspects that influence household welfare. For example, some households must spend more for paraffin due to their distance from Mombasa port, which leads to inequality in access.